Well, maybe the third time’s the charm? In a disappointing announcement to many Oscar telecast fans, The Academy revealed that Jimmy Kimmel will host the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12. The ABC late-night host previously emceed the 89th and 90th Oscars in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
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The 2022 ceremony was hosted by Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes. The trio were mostly celebrated for their gig which was overshadowed by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on stage. In the months since Rock has said he was offered the opportunity to return as host for 2023.
In a statement, Oscar producers and showrunners (a new term for The Academy) Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner remarked, “We’re super thrilled to have Jimmy score his hat trick on this global stage. We know he will be funny and ready for anything!” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang added, “Jimmy is the perfect host to help us recognize the incredible artists and films of our 95th Oscars. His love of movies, live TV expertise, and ability to connect with our global audiences will create an unforgettable experience for our millions of viewers worldwide. With Kimmel, Weiss and Kirshner’s fresh perspective and masterful guidance, the Oscars will celebrate its rich 95-year history, the collaborative nature of moviemaking, and our diverse, dynamic and deeply creative community of filmmakers.”Craig Erwich, president, ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals also noted, “Having Jimmy Kimmel return to host ‘The Oscars’ is a dream come true. As we see every night on his own show, Jimmy can handle anything with both heart and humor, and we know that he will deliver the laughs and celebratory moments that define the Oscars. We love being the home of Hollywood’s biggest night and can’t wait to toast the success of this year’s cinema and storytelling.”Kimmel himself said, “Being invited to host the Oscars for a third time is either a great honor or a trap.  Either way, I am grateful to the Academy for asking me so quickly after everyone good said no.”
After record-low ratings following Kimmel’s last stint, the Oscars went hostless for three straight years including two pandemic-affected productions. Kimmel was also the host during the infamous “LaLa Land”/”Moonlight” Best Picture mix-up where he was criticized afterward for saying during the fracas “I would like to see you get an Oscar anyway. Why can’t we just give out a whole bunch of them.”
Kimmel joins Whoopi Goldberg, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Jack Lemmon, Jerry Lewis, Steve Martin, Conrad Nagel, and David Niven as hosting the ceremony at least three times. Bob Hope holds the record of Oscars host at 19 ceremonies.
The 2023 Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theater on Sunday, March 12 and broadcast live on ABC.